- Joined
- Jul 2, 2025
- Threads
- 5
- Messages
- 270
- Reaction score
- 577
- Location
- Vacaville, California
- Vehicle(s)
- 2023 Ford Maverick Lariat, 2014 Chevrolet Spark
- Engine
- 2.5L Hybrid
- Thread starter
- #1
(This might be a little old as I originally posted it on the other Maverick forum. However, I found that group to be quite dull, so I'm starting over here...)
My Lariat arrived on the back of a Carvana truck. I chose the Maverick over the other vehicles out there because it has the hybrid engine, a CVT, unibody and it's not too big or high off the ground. To me, it's a car that can be a pick-up if needed. I chose the Lariat because it has some special features like the split A/C, bedliner, satellite radio, and premium sound. I chose a pre-25 because I didn't want the Sync (large touch screen) nor did I want AWD which is mandatory on the Lariat and that's the only way you can get premium sound. The vehicle I chose is Cactus Grey, has the trifold bed tonneau and bed extender which were big selling points for me.
For me, it replaces a Buick Rendezvous which before you laugh was not a bad car at least for me. It had a V-6, similar seating as the Maverick and could hold a sheet (or six) of plywood albeit sticking out of the partly opened tailgate w/ a few 12' pieces of lumber on the OEM roof rack. It was a great driver, but mine was long in the tooth and was a little inconvenient when I need to haul stuff, and it had no trailer hitch. The last three or four cars I've owned have all been FWD, so I'm fine with that. And my other car has a CVT which I like very much. If the weather is bad or there are questionable conditions on the road, I just stay home so I don't need AWD.
I considered the Santa Cruz, but after riding in a Tuscon, I found the interior unimpressive, and I didn't want a full ICE powertrain. Yeah, I'm that guy w/ solar panels on his roof, but an EV or plug-in isn't a good fit because I work from home and hardly ever use a car. I spend about $75 on gas per month. However, when I do drive, I'm often at the home center, and it's nice to have a good space for building and gardening supplies. I also considered other trucks, but they're all body-on-frame, too high, too big or too expensive. I've owned three F-100/150s in my life and they were all half ton, long bed w/ 2WD. I had worked on my dad's full-ton Dodge van as a young man, and I didn't need to work on full floating rear axles or any heavy-duty suspensions like that. Also, any full-size truck is so frickin' huge now a days, it's a bit insane if you ask me.
BTW, I'm not 'Ford guy'. When I was shopping for trucks in the past, I didn't care what make, just as long as it was a 1/2-ton, long bed and 2WD. I just always ended up with a Ford. Like I said, I seriously considered the Santa Cruz for a while, and while my other car says Chevrolet on it, it was really designed and built in South Korea. I think that both Ford and Hyundai have done a great job giving us modern versions of the El Camino/Ranchero (Greenbrier?) in the same way as all of those cross-over SUVs are effectively today's station wagons. (Who remembers Chevy Luvs, Ford Couriers or even the VW (Golf/Rabbit) pick-up?)
My Lariat arrived on the back of a Carvana truck. I chose the Maverick over the other vehicles out there because it has the hybrid engine, a CVT, unibody and it's not too big or high off the ground. To me, it's a car that can be a pick-up if needed. I chose the Lariat because it has some special features like the split A/C, bedliner, satellite radio, and premium sound. I chose a pre-25 because I didn't want the Sync (large touch screen) nor did I want AWD which is mandatory on the Lariat and that's the only way you can get premium sound. The vehicle I chose is Cactus Grey, has the trifold bed tonneau and bed extender which were big selling points for me.
For me, it replaces a Buick Rendezvous which before you laugh was not a bad car at least for me. It had a V-6, similar seating as the Maverick and could hold a sheet (or six) of plywood albeit sticking out of the partly opened tailgate w/ a few 12' pieces of lumber on the OEM roof rack. It was a great driver, but mine was long in the tooth and was a little inconvenient when I need to haul stuff, and it had no trailer hitch. The last three or four cars I've owned have all been FWD, so I'm fine with that. And my other car has a CVT which I like very much. If the weather is bad or there are questionable conditions on the road, I just stay home so I don't need AWD.
I considered the Santa Cruz, but after riding in a Tuscon, I found the interior unimpressive, and I didn't want a full ICE powertrain. Yeah, I'm that guy w/ solar panels on his roof, but an EV or plug-in isn't a good fit because I work from home and hardly ever use a car. I spend about $75 on gas per month. However, when I do drive, I'm often at the home center, and it's nice to have a good space for building and gardening supplies. I also considered other trucks, but they're all body-on-frame, too high, too big or too expensive. I've owned three F-100/150s in my life and they were all half ton, long bed w/ 2WD. I had worked on my dad's full-ton Dodge van as a young man, and I didn't need to work on full floating rear axles or any heavy-duty suspensions like that. Also, any full-size truck is so frickin' huge now a days, it's a bit insane if you ask me.
BTW, I'm not 'Ford guy'. When I was shopping for trucks in the past, I didn't care what make, just as long as it was a 1/2-ton, long bed and 2WD. I just always ended up with a Ford. Like I said, I seriously considered the Santa Cruz for a while, and while my other car says Chevrolet on it, it was really designed and built in South Korea. I think that both Ford and Hyundai have done a great job giving us modern versions of the El Camino/Ranchero (Greenbrier?) in the same way as all of those cross-over SUVs are effectively today's station wagons. (Who remembers Chevy Luvs, Ford Couriers or even the VW (Golf/Rabbit) pick-up?)
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